Love Recklessly

Two blog posts in one week? What is this? I don't know, but on the 5.5 hour drive from MHK to Siloam Springs yesterday I had a thought that I very much desired to share with you. Enjoy!

My freshman year of high school I went on a ski trip with my youth group over spring break. I'd never been skiing before and I was young. It was really fun, I stayed on green trails the whole time, but I did get going pretty fast. Towards the end of the second day a snowboarder cut in front of me and there was nothing I could do but hit them straight on and roll the rest of the way down the mountain. It wasn't bad, no broken bones or head trauma, but I ended up with a pretty nasty case of whiplash.

My senior year I once again went skiing, this time with my classmates. I was very cautious. I stayed slow, I stayed on easy trails, I "pizza sliced" pretty much all over the mountain. So cautious, in hopes that I would not get hurt again if I just stayed safe. And it wasn't super fun. I was constantly checking my speed and stopping, and sitting down if I didn't think I could stop fast enough.

But then I saw these little girls, about half my age, sliding around, passing me, so small they didn't even need poles to adjust their center of gravity.

So I said "what the heck" and let myself go fast. I went down blues, an easier black, the trick run (although I didn't do any tricks), even an unmarked trail that everyone really enjoyed. And I had a blast.

To get to my point: love recklessly. When you've been hurt in the past (whether in a romantic relationship, friendship, family, or just in life) it's difficult to let yourself out of the safety of loving abashedly. But what is there to get out of that?

I once spoke to a guy who had been in an "open relationship" with his girlfriend for 5 years. I  couldn't, and still can't, understand why and how that worked for them. One of the things he said was "an added benefit" was that it made cheating impossible. They never had to worry about it because it wasn't a thing in their relationship.

Playing it safe.

I think one of the most rewarding things about relationships (any kind, but in this particular example, romantic) is giving another person the ability to hurt you, but knowing that they won't. I think that's really the meaning of trust and faith in someone. Which I think is the essence and foundation of love.

Luke 10:27 says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, and your strength, and all your mind.

So if the essence of love is faith and trust then we can't go halfway.

Relationships aren't 50%-50%. They're 100%-100%.

While that is usually applied to romantic relationships, I think it also applies to every other relationship, including our relationship with God.

He is incapable of giving less than 100%. If we feel He is letting us down or failing us we either fail to understand, or are ourselves the one that isn't giving 100%.

Refusing to give 100% every day is what ruins relationships. Every relationship.

Perhaps you think you are protecting yourself, but in the end you're the one breaking your own heart while trying to protect it. Unfortunately, city walls usually fall inward and destroy the very things they are intended to protect.

So put a gate in your walls, and give the key away to those who wish to posses it.

I'm not saying not to guard your heart. But don't destroy yourself in an effort to stay safe.

There is a lot of danger outside, but of you never leave your house you will never see the beauty that lies on the other side of your door.